'America's Most Endangered River'

American Rivers has named the Catawba River--which spans both Carolinas--as America's Most Endangered River for 2008, citing rapid development and outdated water supply management as factors in its ranking.

1 minute read

April 25, 2008, 7:00 AM PDT

By Nate Berg


"American Rivers says the Catawba-Wateree system is at the center of a clash between development in the Southeast and a limited water supply - and without better state management, everyone will suffer.

American Rivers chose the Catawba-Wateree as the nation's most endangered because it is the best example in the South of a waterway facing growth and limited water supplies, officials said.

The American Rivers report, which lists nine other imperiled rivers, focuses on preserving water supplies for millions of residents, businesses and recreational users in the booming basin from above Charlotte [North Carolina] to near Columbia [South Carolina]. It says neither state is doing enough to conserve water and control river withdrawals."

Thanks to A. Lamar Calloway

Thursday, April 17, 2008 in The State

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